Same Problem, Different Man
by argon722
Summary: The Doctor decides to listen to a stranger's issues rather than face his own. A one-shot formed while listening to a favorite song of mine.


**Disclaimer: The song lyrics are from Neon Moon by Brooks & Dunn. I do not own the Doctor either. I only stake my claim to the stranger.**

**Note: This is my first published fic. Constructive criticism and reviews are welcome. Hope y'all enjoy! :)**

The Doctor stepped into the Earth bar. The year was 2049. He could have chosen any place better to be. In fact, he'd aimed for a 51st century bar, but the TARDIS had landed him here.

The bar was dark on the inside, smoke floated around, advertisements for drinks glowed from the walls. The music wasn't exactly up his alley, but it fit the place and his mood all too well.

_"When the sun goes down on my side of town,_

_That lonesome feeling comes to my door and the whole world turns…_

_Blue…"_

Actually, the Doctor was rather glad that this kind of music was still being played at this point in the future, especially with pop and techno and all that other buzzing music being all the hype.

He went up to the bartender and ordered a pint of whatever was popular in the region. The bartender nodded and soon came back with a tall glass of a dark lager.

Not wanting to be near the brooding men and women downing shots and concoctions at the bar, he edged past occupied tables and made his way to the far back. Oddly enough, it was a table for two. He frowned at the stereo across the room. The song was now in the chorus, singing out its melancholic words.

_"Now if you lose your one and only,_

_There's always room here for the lonely_

_To watch your broken dreams dance in and out of the beams of a neon moon…"_

As the stereo continued to the verse about "two young lovers running wild and free", the Doctor didn't find himself alone.

A twig of a man plopped himself down in a chair, beer in hand, mouth frowning. "You look like you need someone to talk to," the man, an American, noted.

The Doctor looked down at his glass that he'd been quietly sipping from. "I do have quite a gob on me, but strangely enough, I don't want to talk," he frowned.

The newcomer took a draught of his drink and set it down. "It helps to talk, believe me. How long has it been?"

The man didn't look dangerous. His hair was short and brown, shining almost golden in the small light above their table. His eyes were a welcoming dark brown and his mouth was tilted up in concern. "Since what?" the Doctor asked.

The man smirked a bit before his face fell. "Come on. You don't look stupid to me. How long since you lost her?"

"Don't know what you mean," the Doctor argued, becoming a bit irritated.

"Yes," the stranger said forcefully. "I do. It's written all over your face."

The Doctor decided to stop playing dumb. The man seemed trustworthy enough. "About a week."

The man hummed. "The first few weeks are always the worst. It's been eight months for me. I usually tell people she needed space, but I feel like I can tell you the truth. Don't know why." He gave the Doctor a small smile. "And you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want."

The Doctor nodded. "What happened with you?" Maybe it would be better to delve in a stranger's problems for a while and face his own issues later.

The man looked down at the table, entwined his hands, fiddled with the wedding band on his left. "Lab accident. I'm a scientist. Went in to work to complete a project. One second, I went to go check the hydraulics of the machine, next, I'm, well I guess you could say, here." The man's eyes shone with tears. "I haven't seen my family in eight months. I have a wife, two daughters. My younger daughter would've turned eight in the time I've been gone." He took a quick glimpse at his wristwatch. "Look, I better go. Gotta get to the lab."

The Doctor leaned forward as the man stood and began to walk away. "You seem like you're from here on Earth. Did you go forward in time? Back? Another planet?"

The man chuckled mirthlessly. "If only it were that simple. Try another universe."

The Doctor was speechless for a moment. He turned to say something to the stranger, but by the time he looked back, the young scientist had disappeared from view.


End file.
